Semantics and Analytics of Data Usage in Cyber-Physical Systems: Learning and Inference across the Edge of the Internet

Dear Colleagues,

In the 21st century, data analysis has taken on a societal significance and has diversified beyond pure scientific discovery to include creative uses for data too. Studying and distinguishing the methods and semantics of learning (by humans or by machine, for both science and creativity) versus inference (by human or machine), about the interface between the physical world and virtual realm, are of profound scientific importance on both a theoretical and a practical level.  Recombinant cyber–physical systems are characterised by a mixture of rules and emergent behaviours. How we confront the roles of information, space, and time in analytical, sensory, and cognitive processes will define how science, technology, and society are able to integrate analytical methods into mainstream usage. The roots of computation lie in classical, quantum, and hybrid methods, and they must address concerns about energy consumption, fairness, and privacy.

This Special Issue invites contributions from theoreticians and practitioners, from academia and industry, on the infrastructure and methodology for real-time analysis of data with rich semantics. Papers should expose and marshal deep and self-critical questions about the meaning of data, uncertainties, and biases, especially in the context of the extended cloud, i.e., the “edge” of the Internet at the interface between physical and cyber realms. We appeal to a cross-disciplinary cohort of researchers with the highest standards of scientific depth and integrity; articles should write for a wide audience, placing subject and background on a proper historical footing, with a full set of references to help readers, and considering competing works (joint papers would be considered valuable). Authors are encouraged to think self-critically as well as ethically about all speculations, results, and applications of their work.

Prof. Dr. Mark Burgess
Guest Editor

Manuscript Submission Information

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•  Machine learning
•  Inference
•  Edge computing
•  Cyber–physical systems
•  Quantum computing
•  Virtual reality
•  Data semantics